In psychology, the aspect of treating mental disorders refers to Psychoanalysis. It was Psychoanalytic theory which laid the foundation of this mental disorder treatment. Due to its unconscious mental process considerations, this method got another name, i.e. ‘depth psychology’.
Sigmund Freud psychoanalytic theory:
Sigmund Freud’s psychoanalytic theory explains that human ethology results from coordination between three parts of the mind. First is id, second is ego, and the third one is superego. This psychoanalytic theory pays attention to how the conflicts between these three parts of a mind shape the human personality. Further, Sigmund Freud focused on unconscious mind as the base of conflict. He added that the unconscious mind is a reservoir of thoughts, desires, and memories. Hence, such influences of the unconscious mind create psychological discomfort, and stress.
What is psychoanalytic therapy?
It is a talk therapy based on Sigmund Freud’s psychoanalysis theories for treating mental disorders. This treatment considers the facts pertaining to how feelings, thoughts, and behaviours rely on the unconscious mind. By this therapy, psychiatrists examine how past experiences drive your current actions. Since the time of Freud, psychoanalyst therapy has been an effective approach in terms of dealing with emotional disorders.
Techniques important in psychoanalytic therapy:
Psychoanalytic therapy cannot help relieve patients in simply one sitting. Because sometimes people have to meet their psychoanalysts once a week, even for years. The psychoanalyst monitors his/her patient’s behaviour to perform appropriate therapy that could amend their situation. Some common techniques shared by The Academic Papers UK regarding psychoanalysis for removal of stress include the following;
Free association:
Free association is a common technique for judging the thinking pattern of a patient (student in this case). In these techniques, psychoanalysts allow the person sitting next to him to share his thoughts. This is because free association is helpful in exploring memories, and unexpected connections. It also helps release the stress by sharing the bad memories that otherwise cause stress.
Dream interpretation:
The most popular, and useful technique for a student is that of dream analysis. Dream analysis in itself is a long procedure. Freud called dreams “The royal road to the unconscious”. In the same context, dreams can help psychoanalysts get insights into the unconscious mind. As the unconscious mind is one of the reasons because of which stress is created, like academic stress in the case of students, it can be made therapeutic as well.
Transference:
Transference is the process of feelings’ projection onto the psychoanalyst. In these procedures, the patient expresses his review about another person. By examining these reviews, the psychoanalyst examines that person’s state of mind. It is the most useful technique for knowing about the social behaviour of a patient/student.
The techniques mentioned above reflect that regardless of the method you’re using in therapies, you have to spend a lot of time with the patients. Further, it is also clear as to why this method is commonly called talking therapy. Because good communication (speaking, listening), as well as critical thinking skills are necessary to get the benefits of psychoanalysis.
Benefits that you can get from psychoanalysis:
Psychoanalysis is a multi-purposive therapy. This is a technique which can help recover patients from the following disabilities;
- Psychosomatic disorders.
- Relationship issues.
- Self-destructive behaviour.
- Emotion struggles, or trauma.
- Depression.
- Academic Anxiety.
- Self-assertion.
- Sexual problems.
- Identity problems.
- Self-esteem issues.
- Academic disorders.
Role of Psychoanalysis to Decrease Academic Stress
Academic stress is a factor that has a negative impact on students’ academic performance. Taking academic stress to some extent entails a positive attitude towards the studies. This is because it has a strong positive link with a sense of responsibility. So the students who take moderate stress can better manage or deliver good quality work. But the moment when academic stress increases and starts having a negative impact, it needs therapy as well. This is important so that the stress does not get out of hand, and so that it does not consume the student completely. There are many therapies available for treating a student’s academic stress. Among those techniques, psychoanalysis is a prominent one.
Benefits of Psychoanalysis for releasing Academic Stress
Emotional focus:
Psychoanalysis is a potential therapy for examining what kind of emotions a student is experiencing. Psychoanalysis’s abilities to explore the emotional state are even better than CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy). Sharing the emotional stress with the therapist can help in releasing the academic stress.
Explores student’s avoidance:
A majority of students suffering from academic stress have avoided behavioural characteristics. This is because they’re used to avoiding irritating thoughts, feelings, and situations. But this unintentional negligence later turns into depression, and discomfort. And prolonged discomfort may result in mental stress, or disorders associated with this domain. Hence in Psychoanalysis, the therapist explores this avoidance in free association. It is helpful as knowing the reason for ailment is the best way of technically curing it.
Recurring themes approach:
Another reason for academic stress is the aspect of self-destructive behaviour. Psychoanalysis therapy is good for students who know that they have self-destructive behaviour, but lag in controlling it. Therefore, in therapy sections, the therapists teach them skills to control self-destructive behaviours. Thus, it will be helpful in decreasing academic stress by promoting self-constructive behaviour in general.
Past experience exploration:
Unlike other approaches, Psychoanalysis is the best when it comes to exploring past experiences. A reason for this is the fact that it helps the therapist in knowing how past academic experiences affect present academic stress. In comparison, other approaches are more concerned with the here and now situations only. They explore the impact of current thoughts, and neglect the past experience-an important academic stress factor. Hence, after psychoanalysis, a student can shed the bond of past experiences, and improve the current state of mind as well.
Interpersonal Relationship evaluation:
In certain cases, the reason for academic stress is interpersonal relationship issues with teachers, or class fellows. A bad relationship, or a bad reputation/a weak bond with such entities causes academic stress in many ways. If a student is suffering from one of these issues, then Transference will be the best way for sorting out this problem.
Psychoanalysis a stress-free therapy:
Apart from all these, Psychoanalysis can decrease academic stress because of its talkative nature. Other medical procedures are themselves stress-causing for students. And while passing through these procedures, people feel both anxiety, and fear. But in psychoanalysis, the patients remain in a fearless environment. Hence, we can say it is a gentle way of decreasing academic stress.
